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Home » Consumer Information » Automobile Safety

Sudden Acceleration

Sudden acceleration occurs when a car unexpectedly speeds up after an automobile's engine has been turned on. This vehicle malfunction has been known to happen in both drive and reverse gears. By the time the driver regains control of the vehicle, it is often too late, as an auto accident has already occurred. For about a decade, the courts frequently determined driver error was responsible, and automobile manufacturers were emerging victorious. However, since the theory of sudden acceleration has become a valid liability issue, many drivers are currently reaping the benefits of multi-million-dollar trial winnings. Some high-profile lawsuits against Ford Motor Company and General Motors have revealed accidents have been caused by poorly designed cruise control systems. It has also been established that negligently manufactured electric throttle control systems have caused sudden acceleration accidents.

Center for Auto Safety Director Clarence Ditlow believes defective cruise control systems have contributed to numerous sudden acceleration crashes. In his book, Sudden Acceleration: The Myth of Driver Error, Ditlow dismisses the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's studies that the majority of sudden acceleration mishaps have a direct correlation with driver error. The book also addresses how automakers have hidden the fact that they have cut costs while simultaneously increasing the amount of electronic devices in their vehicles.

Electronic throttle control utilizes sensors to communicate to an automobile's computer. It notifies the computer what amount to open the throttle to allow airflow, as well as how much gasoline the engine requires to manage speed. Carmakers tend to favor electronic throttle control over the conventional mechanical cable because it is cheaper to install. Opponents argue that these less costly counterparts are prone to bugs.

Sudden acceleration first became public in the ‘80s when drivers were claiming that the Audi 5000 sedan was accelerating without warning. However, once Audi of America began equipping the car with shift-lock mechanisms that forced you to press the brake in order to shift into drive or reverse, reports of sudden acceleration declined immensely.

In March 2004, the NHTSA began to explore the most recent surge of sudden acceleration allegations, including 37 instances in Toyotas and Lexuses. It was found that models built in the mid-to-late ‘90s had faulty cruise control systems that could be attributed to accidental acceleration.

The largest known verdict on record in regards to sudden acceleration can be traced back to a 2003 trial in Missouri. A jury ordered General Motors to award a husband and wife $80 million after their 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass unintentionally sped up and resulted in a crash that caused serious injury.